La componente floristica dei relitti boscati della pianura veneta orientale: qualità e grado di conservazione

The floristic composition of venetian relic woods: quality and conservation status. The aim of the study was to collect up-to-date data on the floristic composition of fragments of relic woods in venetian Po plain. For each forest a check list of the flora has been compiled. The floristic originality of woods has been confirmed: thanks to their geographic position they show the co-occurrence of Temperate-Continental species, Mediterranean and Balkanian elements. In order to evaluate the floristic quality, species were clustered in 7 ecological groups, on the basis of similar ecology and similar role inside the community. The group assignment was based on phytosociological affinity. Quality of the plant communities didn’t show a gradual change from larger to smaller patches, with larger patches being characterised by a higher proportion of quality species, and both larger and smaller patches hosted rare and threatened forest species depending on their inner quality.